What Causes Acne?

Acne is usually caused by clogged pores that leads to the accumulation of bacteria under the skin’s surface. However, it can also be caused by hormonal imbalance. In many cases, oily skin is very prone to acne, as the glands produce too much oil, thereby clogging the pores. Studies have shown that acne can also be caused by an unhealthy diet, harmful skin care products, and stress.

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Why Choose Us For Acne Treatment?

Avalon Lasers is a leading San Diego acne treatment medical clinic. Our staff are trained and certified in the procedures we offer and there is always a doctor onsite. Patients in Carlsbad and San Diego who are suffering from acne experience a private, serene, luxurious setting at Avalon Laser. We offer a widely diverse array of advanced cosmetic treatments performed with the latest protocols to achieve superior results. We are dedicated to helping you resolve your acne. Please call today for a consultation about your customized acne treatments!

    Fixing Acne Scars with Dr. Tirgari

    What Is The Key To Treating Acne?

    The key to treating acne is finding the right solution for your unique skin type. Not everyone responds to the same type of treatment, which is what makes acne difficult to address. Luckily, in recent years, there has been a development of various effective acne treatments, allowing us to find a unique and custom-tailored solution just for you.

    To learn more about your acne treatment options, please read the important information below. If you have questions or think Dr. Reza Tirgari and his team might be able to help you, please call today 619-494-3944 for a consultation.

    Why You Should NOT Self-Treat Acne

    This is a very important factor. While we understand that there are countless acne products available, it is very important to stay away and resist trying to treat acne on your own. More often than not, the acne will only get worse.

    Common Over-The-Counter Acne Treatments And Negative Side Effects

    The most common treatments over-the-counter include benzoyl peroxide, topical salicylic acid, Retina-A, and Accutane antibiotics. All of these can have a range of negative side effects, especially antibiotics to which the body becomes immune overtime. Benzoyl peroxide can be very harmful, especially in large doses. It burns the skin and can leave behind very bad acne scars.

    Sadly, most of our acne scar removal patients come to use as a direct result of self-treatment. Topical salicylic acid is the least harmless chemical, but it is not right for every skin type. For treatment that is tailored to you, it is best to visit a medical professional who has years of experience treating acne and other types of scar removal.

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    What Are Your Acne Treatment Options?

    Medical Grade Peel Acne Treatment

    For patients who suffer from mild to moderate acne, we often recommend a medical grade peel. This is a term used for a chemical peel that will target your specific concerns. A chemical peel penetrates deep into the skin to remove dirt and bacteria, thereby eradicating the underlying issues that cause acne.

    Mild To Moderate Acne Treatment

    In addition to chemical peels, laser therapy is an option for acne treatment patients. Acne can be characterized by whiteheads, blackheads, red-inflamed pimples or cystic acne. Regardless of how severe, breakouts are difficult to treat, and each pimple is equally annoying. Cystic acne is the most difficult to treat as they are filled with blood and are rooted deep into the skin, almost always leaving an unsightly acne scar behind.

    Laser Acne Therapy

    Laser acne therapy with the fractional laser is one of the most recent and most effective procedures to treat acne breakouts. Laser skin resurfacing therapy reaches deep into the skin without harming the skin’s surface, reduces the production of oil from the oily (sebaceous) glands, and targets Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), the bacterium that causes acne inflammation. Laser acne therapy results can be achieved with only three to five treatments.

    Moderate To Severe Acne Treatment

    Moderate to severe acne is generally cystic acne. These are the most severe cases, tend to leave acne scars, and are the most difficult to treat. In such cases, we almost always utilize a multifaceted treatment approach to eradicate cystic acne.

    Causes Of Cystic Acne

    Cystic acne is generally caused by hormonal imbalance, improper diet and improper skin care routine. If you suffer from cystic or severe acne, Dr. Tirgari and our team will look at all these factors to determine the best course of treatment. We are now proud to offer the advanced Levulan-IPL Photodynamic acne therapy, which combines IPL treatment with anti-acne medication.

    Combatting Severe Acne

    In order to combat severe acne, we will help you with the following:

    • Improve your diet
    • Improve your skincare routine
    • Provide the best topical anti-acne treatments
    • Perform chemical peels to help eradicate the acne
    • Utilize laser skin resurfacing to kill the bacteria
    • Assist in acne scar removal
    • Take a proactive approach to avoid another breakout

    Your Treatment Consultation

    During your initial evaluation, we will find the best and most effective treatment for you. Dr. Tirgari is a well-known cosmetic dermatologist. He will help you get rid of your acne and keep it away with a range of medical treatments known to work.


    Additional Acne Treatment Information: Why Lasers Might Beat Acne.

    You may not associate laser treatments with acne, but the medical community is starting to recognize the advantages. Acne occurs when hair follicles clog with dead skin cells and oil. This leads to pore irritation and infection. While you may not realize the connection, the Mayo Clinic is calling laser light treatment the procedure to watch among emerging technologies in the fight against acne.

    More About Acne

    The painful swelling that you feel when a pimple starts to develop is a sign of infection. Certain forms of bacteria are attracted to the pool of moisture that forms due to the oil build-up. Once the bacteria congregate, the pressure on the pore causes inflammation and irritation.

    What Is Light Therapy?

    Light therapy is a treatment that uses lasers to expose the skin to different types of light. Laser treatments are a form of targeted phototherapy. Targeted because the treatment exposes the skin to UV light, by focusing the beam, only the problem areas are affected. Light therapy for skin conditions, such as acne, utilizes an excimer, or exciplex laser.

    What Does Laser Treatment Do?

    The laser treatment kills bacteria. Infection causes the swelling that can lead to scarring. The bacteria problem makes you to want to pick at pimples, which can also lead to scarring. Pus forms in the follicle as a by-product of the infection. Pus equals pressure and pain. The skin cannot heal until the bacteria are gone. Bacteria respond to different colors of light. Primarily, treatments focus on blue light.

    When blue hits the skin, it kills off the bacteria. Some treatments involve a pulsating light and heat, as well. These features help to treat one cause of the acne, oil, or sebum, production due to enlarged sebaceous glands. This form of light treatment will shrink glands and, therefore, reduce the production of oil. Once oil stops pooling on the skin, acne flair ups should subside.

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    What Causes Acne?

    Avalon Laser in San Diego and Carlsbad is proud to offer the advanced and extremely effective Levulan-IPL Photodynamic Therapy acne treatment for patients who suffer from moderate to severe and persistent acne. This latest treatment combines topical acne medication Levulan and IPL technology for best results that are evident right away. Our San Diego acne treatment patients who undergo this procedure experience immediate relief from pesky and unsightly acne.

    Why Consider Advanced IPL Photodynamic Therapy Acne Treatment?

    The Levulan IPL Photodynamic Therapy acne treatment (PDT) combines very powerful skin medication that kills acne causing bacteria. Applying IPL (intense pulsed light) over the medication makes the treatment respond better and much quicker, making this acne treatment the best option for patients who suffer from acne and even age spots, sun spots, and scarring. The PDT therapy can be applied to any area of the body, including the face, neck, hands and chest.

    Benefits Of Levulan IPL PDT Therapy

    Our acne treatment and cosmetic dermatology patients consider this treatment for the following reasons:

    • Effective results
    • Minimal downtime
    • Removal of acne causing bacteria
    • Shrinkage of overactive oil glands
    • Removal of damaged skin cells and discolorations
    • Remedies sun spots, age spots and even acne scars

    What Can You Expect With Levulan IPL PDT Therapy?

    • The face or the treatment area is first cleaned well with an anti-bacterial cleanser.
    • Next, our cosmetic dermatology team applies the topical Levulan medication to the area.
    • The patient then lies down for his or her IPL or photofacial treatment.
    • The IPL pulsed light is applied over the medication, activating it for even better results. The IPL system delivers pulses to the skin that results in skin rejuvenation while the medicine acts to kill all bacteria, smoothing out and treating a variety of skin irregularities, particularly acne.

    Recovery And Aftercare

    Levulan-IPL Photodynamic Therapy is very safe. It only penetrates specific bacteria and damaged skin cells. After treatment, patients will experience redness and some peeling for about three to 14 days. However, most patients recover fully within one week and any redness can be easily covered with makeup.

    It is important to note that the first week after treatment is crucial. Skin should be well taken care of and exposure to sun should be avoided. If you do have to go out in the sun, very strong sunscreen along with a hat is recommended. The skin needs time to heal and rejuvenate completely. This is a life-changing treatment for patients who suffer from a range of skin irregularities. Our doctor and cosmetic dermatology team will provide you with specific aftercare instructions.

    Get Professional Treatment For Acne

    It is not easy to control acne but developing a daily routine for cleansing helps. Wash your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser. Avoid touching or picking at the skin. This only spreads infection to more pores.

    If basic care doesn’t help, try professional treatment. Patients in San Diego, Carlsbad, Del Mar and nearby areas of California can contact Avalon Laser online or call 619-494-3944 to schedule a consultation.

    Acne Treatment FAQ's

    Who is a good candidate for Levulan IPL PDT acne treatment?

    How many treatment sessions will I need?

    Who is a good candidate for Levulan IPL PDT acne treatment?

    This procedure is very advanced; however, there are some limitation on who is a good candidate. In general, individuals with dark or sensitive skin may not qualify. Likewise, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may want to wait to undergo this procedure.

    During your consultation, Dr. Tirgari will talk to you about your concerns and examine your skin characteristics as well as medical history to determine if this is the best option for you. If you are deemed not a candidate, we offer a range of other effective treatments at our cosmetic dermatology San Diego and Carlsbad practice.

    How many treatment sessions will I need?

    This therapy can be performed once for patients with mild acne. However, patients who suffer from moderate to severe acne may require more than one treatment session. In general, our San Diego acne treatment patients undergo this procedure for one to two hours once a month. A total of four to eight treatments within four to six months. After examining your skin, our doctor will determine how many treatment sessions you will need for best results.

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